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Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - Kaycee1A - 09-07-2013
New to this forum and needd guidance on how to adjust the pressure on my DeVilbiss IntelliPAP AutoAdjust machine as I am traveling to Peru in a few days and will be sleeping at altitudes over 11,000 feet (currently live at sea level). My machine is now set at 6 and I believe this is the top of the range. I don't have time to go to doctor and get prescription to change setting then go to the clinician to have it changed. I have requested the manual online thru Apnea Board but am afraid it won't come in time. Can anyone suggest how to adjust settings (and what I should adjust to) should I have issues breathing on my trip? Thanks so much for your assistance!
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - me50 - 09-07-2013
(09-07-2013, 08:34 AM)Kaycee1A Wrote: New to this forum and needd guidance on how to adjust the pressure on my DeVilbiss IntelliPAP AutoAdjust machine as I am traveling to Peru in a few days and will be sleeping at altitudes over 11,000 feet (currently live at sea level). My machine is now set at 6 and I believe this is the top of the range. I don't have time to go to doctor and get prescription to change setting then go to the clinician to have it changed. I have requested the manual online thru Apnea Board but am afraid it won't come in time. Can anyone suggest how to adjust settings (and what I should adjust to) should I have issues breathing on my trip? Thanks so much for your assistance!
Can you call your respiratory therapist and have them walk you through the process? I am not familiar with your machine so I don't know how to tell you how to adjust it.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - Kaycee1A - 09-07-2013
Thanks but I already called and they need a doctor's prescription before they will do this and I can't get into the dr before I leave on my trip next week. I guess I should have thought of this sooner.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - trish6hundred - 09-07-2013
Hi Kaycee1A,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post and have a nice trip.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - cbramsey - 09-07-2013
I did some digging on the Internet and came up with this table showing absolute atmospheric pressure as a function of altitude.
Source: Engineering Toolbox
![[Image: PressureVsAltitude_zps3b5b300f.png]](http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii255/cbramsey5898/PressureVsAltitude_zps3b5b300f.png)
It shows the standard absolute atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psia ( 0 psig) and is 10.1 psia ( -4.6 psig) at 10,000 ft, a decrease of a little over 31 percent.
Personally, I think you would need to tweak your machine's settings, but don't know how much.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - Kaycee1A - 09-07-2013
Thanks Cbramsey for the detailed research! I'm thinking I do need to up the pressure a bit - hopefully I can figure out how to "crack" the secret code on my machine to do this if needed! I am a bit freaked out by all the high altitude stories I'm reading on the net and then add the sleep apnea issue to this!
Thanks again,
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - PaulaO2 - 09-07-2013
You have an autoPAP. When you get into the settings, rather than simply guess at where to put it, put it in auto mode with a wide-ish range. I would say 6-10.
Most modern CPAPs auto adjust for high altitudes for up to, I think, 8.5K feet. The user doesn't need to do anything. Higher than that, though, and the dreaded Math is needed.
I searched the forum and found some other threads that discuss this. One said to increase the pressure by .6 for every 1500 feet. I would assume it is for anything over 8.5K.
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-Altitude-and-AHI?pid=35669#pid35669
I would wonder if such a small increase is necessary or worth the worry before hand.
At any rate, if you requested the manual from this board, you should get it relatively quickly.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - alby_c - 09-07-2013
I would put your machine into auto mode (if it isn't already) and give it a range to work in. Your profile says you are on a pressure of 6, so I would agree with Paulo and go for 6 - 10.
I would leave it in this mode even when you get home.
If you have the software etc - monitor it while on your trip and increase it if you have to.
Have a great time! = Green with envy
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - Kaycee1A - 09-07-2013
Thanks everyone. I already received the manual (wow! fast service!) and will enlist my engineer hubby to help me figure out the adjustment - I'm going with the suggested range of 6 - 10 as I do have the auto adjust and it's been tested to 9K feet. Appreciate everyones quick responses!!! Machu Picchu here I come!!!
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap? - cbramsey - 09-07-2013
Be sure to take plenty of pics!!!!!